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Candlelight concerts By BILL VARBLE The Rogue Valley Symphony reprises a local holiday tradition with its annual Candlelight Concerts beginning this weekend. Highlights of the series of performances include Bach's "Concerto No. 5" and an original piece by conductor Arthur Shaw. The series of December concerts is presented by the glow of candles instead of electric lighting, creating a listening experience much like that which would have prevailed in the days when the music was composed. The concerts this time around feature three new soloists: principal pianist Jodi O'Connell on harpsichord, principal Katheryn J. McElrath on flute and concertmaster Michelle Pauly on violin. Each of the three is in her first season as a principal musician with the symphony. Principals lead the other musicians in their sections and pass along the conductor's intentions. Shaw calls the composition for brass instruments he wrote for the grand finale of the concerts "Mi Re Sol." He says he wrote the music in part for Sacred Heart Catholic Church, which was the site of the first Candlelight Concert a dozen years ago, and in part as a nod to the Renaissance. "This is not to say that the style is in any given period, but that the intent is similar," he says. "To give people a moment of repose in a beautiful setting." Candlelight Concerts are planned for 8 p.m. Friday at the Newman United Methodist Church in Grants Pass, 8 p.m. Saturday at the First Baptist Church in Ashland, and 8 p.m. Dec. 17 and 18 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Medford. Hot-spiced cider and cookies will be served at receptions after the shows. All tickets are $18, and no seats are reserved. The post-concert receptions are free to those who attend the concerts. For tickets or more information, call the symphony office at 552-6354. Of the more than 1,200 pieces of music known to have been written during his lifetime by Johann Sebastian Bach, some have been lost, some have fallen from favor, and many are classics. Bach's six Brandenburg concertos -- and the fifth one in particular -- remain favorites with many classical music fans. The concerts' mostly baroque program also features Vitali's "Capriccio for String Orchestra," Mozart's "Divertimento No. 1" and several selections for brass ensemble. Michelle Pauly's solo comes in Massenet's "Meditation from Thais," which is known for its beautiful solo melody line. At the first Candlelight Concert in the Rogue Valley, Shaw and the orchestra began the tradition of performing antiphonal music, or music played responsively, for a brass ensemble. The concept has remained at the heart of the popular concerts ever since. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA